Rail joint



Feb. 23, 1937. i 4 R. FARlEs 2,071,397

RAIL JOINT Filed 0012. A19, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG: L E? l? M- l? 5,0 y S 3 6T/F 416| 12 47 45. .e l "053i" "-n- "un"-- n n WITNESS 5.- J5 l5 Z Z0 ZZ, INVENTOR.-

. 'y y, 7 50 Enh/f2 WM5/5.5, www, Flam BY Feb. z3, 1937. R. FARiEs 2,071,397

RAIL JOINT Filed 0pt. 19, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIC m 9a Qa l V* lm ld 5,0@

A i, 1L TToRNEYs.

Patented Feb. 23, 155937 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE 10 Claims.

This invention relates to track rail joints; and it has reference more particularly to track rail joints of the type wherein contiguous ends of the joining rail sections are connected by bars which lap the split between the rail ends within the side hollows of the latter, and which are secured by clamp bolts extending crosswise through pre-allocated apertures in the vertical webs of the rails and the joint bars.

As a consequence of the flexure induced in the joints under the weight and side thrust of passing trains, wear is occasioned between the rail heads and the upper edges of the joint bars as well as between the rail base flanges and the lower edges of the bars, the greatest wear taking place in the central and end regions of the joints. With time this wear accelerates due to increased exure permitted by gradual enlargement of the clearances at the worn areas, and correspondingly shortens the life of the joints.

Broadly considered, my invention is directed toward overcoming the drawbacks which have been pointed out, that is to say, I aim to enhance the longevity of rail joints through incorporation in thern of simple and reliable means capable of automatically and compensatively taking up wear as it occurs, such that the ends of the aligned rail sections are at all times maintained i'n substantially rigid alignment for increased resistivity of the joints to undue iiexure.

The indicated advantages I secure in practice, as hereinafter fully disclosed, through provision of joint bars of less fishing height than that of the rails, and through further provision of coextensive spring shim plates which are held assembled in the joint by the clamp bolts, and which have inward wedge projections on yielding marginal portions thereof engaging continuous outwardly-flaring interspaces at opposite sides of the joint respectively between the upper edges of the bars and the rail head, and between the lower edges of the bars and the rail base flanges, said marginal portions being slit at intervals lengthwise with resultant formation of a number of tongues capable of independent action to compensate for uneven wear along the length of the joint.

Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will be manifest from the detailed description following of )the drawing-s, wherein Fig. I is a View in side elevation of a rail joint embodying the present improvements.

Fig. II is a side elevation of one of the joint bars.

(Cl. 23S-244) Fig. III is a side elevation of one of the shim plates which are relied upon to automatically take up the wear of the joint.

Fig. IV is a cross section taken as indicated by the arrows IV--IV in Fig. I.

Fig. V is a fragmentary view corresponding to Fig. IV showing one of the shim plates in its initial relation to the rail.

Fig. VI is a fragmentary detail view on a larger scale showing to better advantage, how the upper wedge tongue of one of the spring shim plates engages in the corresponding outwardly-aring interspace between the rail head and the top edge of the joint bar.

Fig. VII is a view like Fig. VI showing how the wear of the joint is taken up.

Figs. VIII, IX, X, XI and XII are views like Figs. I, II, III, IV and V of an alternative embodiment of my invention.

With more specific reference iirst to Figs. I-V of these illustrations, the numeral II designates the joint bars which lap the line of division or split I2 between the contiguous ends of the two connected rail sections I3. As shown in Fig. IV, the joint bars have an arched cross sectional conguration with the vertically-spaced longitudinal ridges I4, I5 thereof bearing against the central webs I6 of the rails I3 at opposite sides of the joint. It is to be particularly noted that the bars II are of less fishing height than that of the rail sections I3, and moreover that their upper and lower edges II, I8 are of a substantial width and horizontal, with their inner corners recessed as at I9, I9 respectively. As a consequence of the described construction of the bars II, continuously-open outwardly-daring interspaces 2G and 2l are determined between the upper and lower edges of said bars and the heads and base flanges 22, 23 respectively of the rail sections I3. At their out sides, the joint bars II are characterized by fiat areas or faces 25 between rounded longitudinal upper and lower beads or ribs 26, 21, the upper ribs 26 being well below the top edges I'I of the bars and connecting with said edges through a concave curvature 28 of a liberal radius, and with the flats 25 through comparatively sharp fillets 29. The lower ridges 2l of the joint bars II are of a larger radius curvature than that of the upper ridges 26, connecting with the flats through sharp fillets at 3i! and merging directly with the lower edges I8 of the bars. As shown in Fig. II, the joint bars II are provided along their length with suitably spaced bolt apertures 3| for registry with correspondingly-allocated apertures in the ends of the rail sections i3.

For the purpose of continuously and -automatically taking up wear as it occurs in the joint, I have devised shim plates 32, which, as shown in Fig. III, are coextensive in length with the joint bars and fashioned from stout springy plate metal. From Figs. IV and V it will be observed that these shim plates 32 are cross sectionally configured to correspond generally to the out side profile of the joint bars, i. e., said plates have longitudinal flat medial portions 33 between out- Wardly rounded upper and lower marginal portions 34, 35, which, in the assembled joint, overreach the ribs 26, 2l of the bars with substantial clearances 38, 3l' intervening. rIhe outward roundings 34, 35 of the shim plates 32 connect with the flats 33 through curvatures 38, 39 (Fig. V) of a relatively large radius, thus forming bow springs about which the plate is adapted to ex, and terminate in tapered inward wedge projections 40, ll urged inwardly to engage in the outwardly flaring interspaces 2G, 2| at opposite sides of the joint. As shown in Figs. IV and VI, the projections 4D, 4| are of such length as to bear full against the upper and lower edges Il, I8 of the joint bars il throughout the width of the straight portions of said edges, and their ends are rounded as at 42, 43 and initially reach inward beyond the fishing edges of said bars. Accordingly, it is impossible for the ends of the projections 4S, 4| to cut into the opposing surfaces of the bars i or the rail in the interspaces 20, 2|, as they are constantly urged inward by spring action to take up the wear. Interference of the shim plates 32 with the anges of car wheels passing over the joint is precluded by the concaved connecting curvatures 44 between the outward roundings 34 of the plates and the wedge projections 40. The shim plates 33 are apertured as at 45 in Fig. III in correspondence with the joint bars and their upper marginal portions are slit downwardly as at 4B, 41, 48, 49 and 50 with incidental formation of central and end tongues 5| 52 and 53, 54 respectively for a purpose later on explained.

In assembling the joint, the bars are introduced into the opposite side hollows of the rails I3 and the shim plates 32 then applied over said bars with their wedge projections 40, 4| engaging in the flaring interspaces 20, 2| as shown in Fig. V. The securing bolts 55 (Figs. I and IV) are next thrust through the registering apertures in the rails |3, the joint bars and the shim plates 32, and the nuts 56 thereupon applied. As the nuts 56 are tightened, the shim plates 32 are drawn up against the joint bars and the latter against the opposite sides of the rail webs I6. Incidentally, the curvatures 38, 39 of the shim plates 32 which are initially of a large radius as in Fig. V, are compressed as in Fig. IV, with the ats 33 of said plates bearing rmly upon the flats 25 of the joint bars I6. Compression of the curvatures 3S, 39 obviously tends to increase the spring power of the free upper and lower margins of the shim plates. Thus as wear takes place in the spaces 20, 2| the wedge projections 40, 4| are gradually yand positively urged inward to automatically take it up, the joint being thereby maintained tight in all its parts with the rail ends held in substantially rigid alignment. In this connection it is especially pointed out that the initial length of the wedge projections and 4| is such with reg-ard to the length of the flaring interspaces 2li, 2| that considerable clearances or open intervals are afforded at the inner ends of the latter in which the rounded tips 42 and 43 of said projections can advance inwardly in taking up the wear of the parts before they actually reach the llet roundings under the rail head 22. This action will be readily understood from Figs. VI and VII. Fig. VI shows the initial relation of the upper wedge projection of one of the shim plates to the joint bar i and the rail I3, while Fig. VII shows how the projection has worked itself further into the flaring interspace 20 to take up the wear on the top surface l1 of the joint bar and the under surface of the rail head 22, these surfaces having originally been as indicated by the dotted lines in the latter figure. It therefore follows that the spring shim plates 32 can be relied upon as effective wear take-up means over a very extensive period in the service of the joint. As already stated, the greatest wear between the bars El and the rails i3 occurs in the region of the split |2 of the joint and at the ends of the joint. Due to the inherent capacity of the tongues 5|, 52 and 53, 54 of the shim plates 33 to act independently at the critical points mentioned, such wear is effectively compensated for concurrently with the lesser wear at other portions of the joint.

In order to render the action of the central tongues 5|, 52 more positive, I preferably place beneath the heads of the central pair of the bolts 55 Verona rail plates or similar spring plates as indicated at 5l in Figs. I and IV.

In the alternative embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. VI-X, the joint bars lla are like the joint bars of the rst described embodiment except in that they are formed at the bottom with outwardly and downwardly inclined flanges 58 whereof the Under faces are sloped at an angle corresponding to that of the tops of the rail base anges 23a and adapted to rest firmly upon the latter as shown in Fig. IX. The shim bars 32a of the alternative embodiment are in effect truncated forms of the shim plates 32 of the rst embodiment, with their flats 33a terminating at the bottom in straight edges 59 somewhat below the bolt holes a, but having slit upper wedge projections 40a to engage in the outwardly-flaring interspaces 20a, between the top edges Ila of the bars Ha and the heads 22a of the rail sections l3a. In order to dispense with repetitive description, all other features of the alternative form of my invention which have their exact counterparts in the first embodiment, are in each instance identified with the same reference numeral previously employed with the subscript a appended for the purposes of separate identification. The action of the modified joint is exactly the same as that described of the rst embodiment as concerns taking up wear at the upper part of the joint, the wedge projections 40a operating in this instance to keep the flanges 53 of the joint bars firmly in engagement with the base flanges 23a of the rails.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that both forms of my improved rail joint are highly practical, simple by reason of the few parts involved in the construction; capable of being assembled in a minimum of time; immune against derangement, and absolutely reliable over protracted periods of service without requiring attention.

I do not of course consider my invention as limited to the precise details of construction and arrangement herein exemplified since it is susceptible of other modifications within the scope of the appended claims. As a further example, of

such other modifications, the spring shim bars 32 of Figs. I-V may be slit from the bottom instead of from the top or both if advantageous or desirable.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a rail joint, aligned rail sections; joint bars of uniform cross section and of less fishing height throughout their length than that of the rail and having their upper and lower inner corner edges truncated todefine, at opposite sides of the assembled joint, continuously-open outwardly-divergent upper and lower interspace-s respectively with the head and with the base flanges of the rail; one piece spring shim plates coextensive in length with the joint bars and having fiat medial portions bearing against the iiat webs of the joint bars and having flexible upper and lower longitudinal marginal portions spaced from the joint bars and terminating in inward wedge projections spring pressed inwardly to engage in the interspaces from the exterior of the joint; and cross bolts connecting the joint bars and the medial' portions of the shim plates rigidly to each other and to the rails.

2. In a rail joint, aligned rail sections; joint bars with flat outer faces, said bars being of uniform cross section and of less fishing height throughout their length than that of the rail and having their upper and lower inner corner edges truncated to define, at opposite sides of the assembled joint, continuously-open outwardly-divergent upper and lower interspaces respectively With the head and with the base flanges of the rail; one piece spring shim plates coextensive in length with the joint bars having flat longitudinal medial portions bearing against the flat web-s of the joint bars and having upper and lower outwardly-swelled flexible longitudinal marginal portions spaced from the joint bars and forming bow springs terminating in tapered inward wedge projections urged inwardly to engage in the interspaces aforesaid from the exterior of the joint; and cross bolts rigidly connecting the bars and the shims to each other and to the rails, with the at medial portions of said shims bearing full against the flat outer faces of the joint bars.

3. In a rail joint, aligned rail sections; arched section joint barsv with iiat outer faces and having their upper and lower inner corner edges truncated, said joint bars being of uniform cross section and of less fishing height throughout their length than that of the rails and adapted to bear with their vertically spaced ridges against the central web of the rail with provision, at opposite sides of the assembled joint, of continuously-open outwardly-divergent upper and lower interspaces respectively with the head and with the base flanges of the rail; one piece spring shim plates coextensive with the length of the joint bars and having flat longitudinal medial portions bearing against the iiat webs of the joint bars and having flexible outwardly-swelled upper and lower longitudinal marginal portions spaced from the joint bars and forming bow springs terminating in inward wedge projections urged inwardly to engage in the interspaces aforesaid; and cross bolts connecting the joint bars and the shim plates to the rails with the fiat central portions of said shim plates held rigidly against thefiat sides of the joint bars.

4. In a rail joint, aligned rail sections; joint bars of uniform cross section and of less fishing height throughout their length than that of the rail and having their upper inner corner edges truncated to define, at opposite sides of the assembled joint, continuously open outwardly divergent upper and lower interspaces respectively with the head and with the base flanges of the rail; one-piece spring shim plates coextensive with the length of the joint bars and having fiat longitudinal central portions to bear full against the flat outer faces of the joint bars, and transversely slit outwardly-swelled flexible upper and lower marginal portions spaced from the joint bars and forming bow springs terminating in inward wedge projections urged inwardly to engage in the interspaces aforesaid from the exterior of the joint; and cross bolts connecting the joint bars and the flat portions of the shim plates rigidly to each other and to the rail.

5. In a rail joint, aligned rail sections; joint bars with flat outer sides, and having their upper inner corner edges truncated, said plates being of uniform cross section and of less shing height than that of the rail to define, at opposite sides of the assembled joint, continuously open outwardly divergent interspaces with the head of the rail; one-piece spring shim plates coext'ensive with the length of the joint bars and having flat longitudinal portions to bear full against the iiat faces of the joint bars and outwardly-swelled flexible longitudinal marginal portions spaced from the joint bars and forming bow springs terminating in inward wedge projections urged inwardly to engage in the interspaces aforesaid; and cross bolts connecting the joint bars and the fiat portions of the shim plates rigidly to each other and to the rails.

6. In a rail joint, aligned rail sections; joint bars with fiat outer sides, and having their upper and lower inner corner edges truncated, said bars being o-f uniform cross section and of less fishing height than that of the rail to define, at opposite sides of the assembled joint, continuously-open outwardly-divergent interspaces with the head of the rail; one-piece spring shim plates coextenlsive with the length of the joint bars and having flat longitudinal portions to bear full against the iiat sides of the joint bars and outwardly-swelled flexible marginal portions spaced from the joint bars and forming bow springs terminating in inward wedge projections urged inwardly to engage in the interspaces aforesaid; and cross bolts connecting the joint bars and the hat portions of the shim plates rigidly to each other and the rail, said shim plates having transverse slits including a relatively deep slit centrally of the length of the plate dividing it into sections having capacity for substantially independent iiexure, and additional slits disposed near each end of the plate and near the center at each side of said relatively deep slit.

'7. As a new article of manufacture, a spring shim plate for use in rail joints and coextensive in length with the joint bars, characterized by a iiat medial portion adapted to be rigidly fastened to a flat surface of a joint bar, and outwardlyswelled flexible upper and lower longitudinal marginal portions adapted to be spaced from the joint bar, said marginal portions forming bow springs about which the plate is adapted to flex and terminating in laterally projecting tapered wedge projections adapted to be resiliently pressed into interspaces between the joint bar and rails, and additionally characterized by a transverse slit centrally of the length of the lplate corresponding to the center of the rail joint and `dividing the plate into sections having capacity for substantially independent flexure.

8. As a new article of manufacture, a spring lll shim plate for use in rail joints and coextensive in length with the joint bars, characterized by a flat medial portion adapted to be rigidly fastened to a flat surface of a joint bar, and outwardlyswelled flexible upper and lower longitudinal marginal portions adapted to be spaced from the joint bar, said marginal portions forming bow springs about which the plate is adapted to flex and terminating in laterally projecting tapered wedge projections adapted to be resiliently pressed into interspaces between the joint bar and rails, and having transverse slits at intervals of their length including a slit disposed cen trally of the length of the plate and corresponding to the center of the rail joint and dividing the plate into sections having capacity for independent exure.

9. As a new article of manufacture, a spring shim plate for use in rail joints and coextensive in length with the joint bars, characterized by a flat longitudinal portion adapted to be rigidly fastened to a flat surface of a joint bar, and an outwardly-swelled exible longitudinal marginal portion adapted to be spaced from the joint bar and forming a bow spring about which the plate is adapted to flex and terminating in a laterally projecting tapered wedge projection adapted to be resiliently pressed into the inter- Space between the joint bar and rail, and additionally characterized by a cutout centrally of the length of the plate dividing it into sections having capacity for substantially independent flexure.

10. As a new article of manufacture, a spring shim plate for use in rail joints and coextensive in length with the joint bars, characterized by a flat longitudinal portion adapted to be rigidly fastened to a at surface of a joint bar, and an outwardly-swelled eXible longitudinal marginal portion adapted to be spaced from the joint bar and forming a bow spring about which the plate is adapted to ex and terminating in a laterally projecting tapered wedge projection adapted to be resiliently pressed into the interspace between the joint bar and rail, said marginal portion having relatively deep slit centrally of the length of the plate dividing it into sections having capacity for substantially independent fleXure, and having additional slits near each end of the plate and near the center of the plate at each side of said relatively deep slit.

ROBERT FARIES. 

